Packaging means for annular devices



Oct. 3l, 1950 J. B. JANNEY PACKGNG MEANS FOR ANNULAR DEVICES Filed May 20, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @A4/l m 14@ ATTORNEYS Oct. 31, 1950 Filed May 2o, 1947 J. B. JANNEY 2,527,819

PACKAGING MEANS FOR ANNULAR DEVICES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /NVENTO/l? WAKWNV daf/N 5 JAN/VEY A T TORNES Tq.l.

Patented Oct. 31, 1950 John B. Janney, Feasterville, Pa.

Application May 20, 1947,., Se`rial No. 749,213

This invention relates to methods and means for packing, transporting and storing articles.

Packing systems as developed hitherto have involved appreciable'expense, storage space, and difculty of assembly and disassembly.

It is among the objects of this invention to imcertain defects in the prior art of packing; to provide a readilyassem-bled or disassembled struc-` ture by means of which a plurality of more or less identical articles can be packed sturdily and rigidly, shielded against impacts and similar undesired contacts with or upon the surfaces of the articles, and which enables easy andfree inspection at all times; to reduce thecost of packaging articles; to provide components for-'packag- 5 Claims. (01.' `206-65) `prove and simplify the art of packing; to obviate ing with which `various sizesof supplementary components can be operatively associated to .take care of different sizes of articles to be packaged; and to provide other objects and advantages as will become more apparent as the descriptionproceeds.

In the accompanying` drawings:

Fig. 1 r-epresents an exploded perspective of the assembly; f Y f Fig. 2 represents a perspective of the assembled package, partly broken away;A f

Fig.'3 represents'a fragmentary verticalsec'- tion through the upper end of the `assembled package;

v Fig. 4 represents a transverse section through the assembled package, showing in dotted; lines the post assembly for the ring of smaller dia'rn eter also shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 5 represents 'a plan of an assembled post and lower base or end plate, with the upper end plate removed, in which interlocking pillars Vare engaged by upstanding flangeson the lower end plate as a modified form of groove'therein;

Fig. 6 represents a fragmentary Vertical section of an assembly of packaged rings andthe package ,elementsof Fig. 5;

. Fig. '7 represents'afgfragmentary plan of a further modified form of interlocking pillar arrangement in operative engaged association with V'a modified formof upstanding flanges comprising clamp-like elements for supporting the pillar ele-` ments on the end plates;

Fig. 8 represents a fragmentary vertical section of an assembly of packaged rings and the package elements of Fig. '7;

Figs. 9 and 10 representrespectively a ,transverse section through a modified form of interlocking pillar arrangement forming the post of the package, and a fragmentary vertical section through a package of rings and the post components shown in Fig. 9;

11 represents a plan of a modified form of post on a modied `form of supporting base;

Fig. 12 represents a fragmentary vertical section, partially in elevation, of a ring package assembly with the pillars or post component shown in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 represents a fragmentary verticalsection through a modified form of interlocking pillar arrangement forming ,the post of the package in operative engaged association with va modified form of end plate;

Fig. 14 represents a' transverse section taken on line I4-I4 of Fig. 1'3. vPurely for illustrative purposes the invention will be disclosed in its use as a packing and storing assembly forjpluralities of identical rings I0, 1 v "for which it is particularly valuable. The rings i0, illustratively, are rectangular in cross section h avinglupper andl lower planar parallel faces il and I2,`.an.outer periphery I3 meeting the faces II kand I2 ina right angle on any diametrical section, and having theinner periphery I4. It

will y'be understood that these rings may be of widlydifierent diameters andother sizes, pro- '.portionsoi" shapes, although each series to be shipped 0r stored will be preferably of the same order. .The .articles to be packaged by this invention need not be closed circles, as will be clear.

The packaging 4.unit of the invention comprises Vuplzerand lower platens, end'plates, or bases I5, which areidentical but are reversed and made cornp'lemental'to each other in assembly. Each end plate lislmade of some relatively cheap material, such as plastics, wood, wall board, sheet or cast metal or the like, or combinations of some of these,r and the area and outer configuration or contour thereof will be as desired, and preferably suchasto effect a lprotecting extension of the plates relative to the ultimately associated rings, and each plate also is so formed, on two opposite sidesat least, as ,to receive and satisfactorily hold against lateral shifting aisubsequently attached Y baling strip, to be described. Illustratively, and preferably, the plates in all of the forms disclosed are polyangular, each having a plurality of angularly divergentside edges, respectively I6, I6', I6, and I6 Each plate is provided with a preferably planar outer face I'I, and an inner preferably parallel generally planar face I8, which is actually or effectively 'grooved vIt will be seen thatl the grooves maybe either actual sub-surface recesses or grooves formed in the faces I8, or may Y extend above the surface i8, being delineated 4by andfspaced as to form retaining devices for the subsequently attached post components r pillars, to ybe described.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, the face I8 of the plates I shown is provided with two relatively perpendicular, Substantially linear grooves, of which one recess or groove 2D extends across the plate I5 in or adjacent to the center thereof, and which is therefore generally symmetrical thereof. The symmetrically disposed groove A20 is intersected perpendicularly by a substantially linear groove 2|, which is asymmetrical of ther plate surface I8, being formed predeterminedly closer to one edge I6 than to the other opposite, preferably generally parallel, side edge I6. As noted, in ultimate assembly, these plateswill be provided in duplicate, arranged for complemental use, with the effective grooves presenting toward each other in relative parallelism. When the end plates are made of wood or the like, itmay be found expedientto form them of two or more relatively cross grained laminations. v

The foundation of the package, so far as the actual ring-contacting element is concerned, is a post formed of two post components comprising Webs or pillars 22 and 23 of varying relative widths according to the internal diameter of the articles to be mounted thereon. The post components or pillars may be formed of any material, such as Wood, wall board, plastic, sheet or cast metal, or combinations thereof, and may be of any desired formation, although rectangular formation is preferred. It is only necessary` that the longitudinally extending side edges of the respective webs or pillars be parallel, and that the end formations be such as to cooperate with the effective grooves of the plates as to have re'- strained anchorage therewith. Usually this is secured by providing the faces of the pillars in parallelism at least at or adjacent to the ends thereof, so as to have portions of the parallel pillar faces extend in their effective grooves to hold the pillar or web against lateral shift, transversely of a groove. Thus, the extreme edge surfaces of each pillar, although preferably planar and at 90 to the side faces, may b e at any other angle, or may be curved or otherwise formed as desired. So far as the formation of the pillar between the ends thereof is concerned, it is only necessary that both webs 22 and 23 respectively have parallel side edges, and vthat the web 23 include a planar or grooved face for engagement by an edge of the web 22 in post assembly. The engagement may be a mere abutment, or may represent a form of interengagement, as will be pointed out. It is simpler and cheaper and, as noted, for some purposes it is preferred to provide the webs as planar rectangular members, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4 incl-usive.v The post is preferably of a general T formation, of which the pillar 22 forms the leg of the T4 while the pillar 23 forms the cross piece thereof. 'I'heT formation is accomplished by bringing an edge of the pillar 22 against the substantial central planar section of the pillar 23, in which formation` the pillars are more or less frictionally fitted into the respective effective grooves of one end platey I5 l serving as a base, either together, Vo rj seriatim, with T leg element pillar I22 disposed in the median slot or grooveV 29 of the base plate, and with the T cross pillar 23 fitted into the transverse asymmetrical groove or slot 2l.' As, within the limits of the ldimensions ofthe end plates, it may be desired to provide' for packaging various diameters of rings, while maintaining substantial Concentricity thereof relative Evto the centers of I6", and IE" of the end plates.

dotted line disclosure of Fig. 4 that the leg pillar 22 will be wider than the cross piece pillar 23 when arranged for association with the smaller ring indicated in dotted lines in that figure, while the outer edges of the smaller ring are substantially evenly spaced from all of the edges I6, I6', In other words, the Ysmall ring is centered on the end plate. On the other hand, to maintain the substantial concentricity and centering of the larger ring on the end plate, shown in full lines in that gure, the cross piece 23 will be a wider pillar than the leg pillar 22. Such assemblies of relatively proportioned pillars or webs of relatively different Widths is contemplated, in association with a given size of end plates, as the elongated slots or grooves therein will take care of pillars of a wide range of relative widths. In any given case, with the diameter of the rings or analogous articles known, the pillars will be properly predetermined in relative sizes, so that while being of proper thickness as to have frictional fit in the respective grooves, the extremities of the cross piece and the free edge of the leg will be so related as to have sliding engagement by the internal surface of the ring so that in assembly of a ring over and upon the post formed of the two independent'but mutually cooperating pillars, the latter are held against relative movement transversely by the ring, while the ring is similarly held by the post against transverse movements.

The post-forming pillars are predetermined in length to accord with the known proportions of the' respective rings so that after allowing a distance on each end suicient to substantially seat the pillars in the slots or grooves of the respective end plates, the pillars are long enough to receive a series of a given predetermined number of the rings in a stack surrounding the post and held against axial movement on the post by the end plates mounted on the ends of the post-forming components. In this connection it is pointed out as a feature of the invention that in one cheap embodiment the pillars used for forming the posts are mere substantially rectangular boards, as of wood, or the like, which do not necessarily need even surface finish, and have no slots, saw cuts, or expensive modifications in order to permit their association in the ring-supporting post formation.

In the assembly of the rings and the package of Figs. l to 4 inclusive, a base I5 is provided, laid on the floor or a support with the grooves up, a pillar` 23 is pushed into the groove 2| in the plate I5, then the pillar 22 is pushed into its groove 20 with one edge in abutting engagement with the substantial center of the first pillar 23, although the order of application of pillars 22 and 23 is not particularly important. The series of rings I0 is then applied by placing one or more at a time over the T shaped upper end of the post assembly, with gentle guidance by the operator to the bottom of the post, and uponthe upper surface I8 of the bottom plate. Finally, the entire series of rings will have been so guided and placed, until the post is filled. At this point, the only contact between adjacent rings will be with the juxtaposed faces II and I2 respectively thereof in planar contact in the case of the rings illustrated, or of transversely tangential contact if round rings are involved, so that the outer peripheries I3 of the respective rings will merge visually into a substantial cylinder of metal, as the T shaped post engages the inner peripheries I4 of the rings to maintain their substantial alignment. Owing to lthe `relatively tight engagement of each of the respective rings .upon-the surfacesof `the composite post, the components of the latter are rigidly held together, while also the rings are held against any lateral shifting relative to the post.

With the sizes of the rings .known and the number to be associated in each series also known,

the pillars 22 and 23 will be properly formed or cut for length so as to position the last and upperj ring of the series close to the end of the post so that when the upper complemental end plate I5 is invertedso that the grooves thereofface downwardly, the upper ends of the boards 22 and 23 will just slide into their respective upper grooves, while the face I8 of the plate will, at the same time, engage the upper surface Il of the top ring, to prevent axial motion of any rings along the post. After the top plate l5 is applied a single strand of baling strap or Etape 24 is fastened about both of the end plates and between same in parallel but spaced relation to the rings mounted therebetween, squeezing and holding them together against any relative motion of the end plates, and thus anchoring the entire assembly.

While in many situations theT formation of post described above is perfectly satisfactory, it is found that under certain conditions an appreciable amount of relative motion may accompany certain pillar or post assemblies of packaged rings. Usually it is the asymmetrically disposed pillar member, i. e., the pillar 23, which shifts in groove 2 I, with a consequent asymmetri- Ybe used. The nailing canbe repeated at each Voperative association if desired, orfcan be provided as a permanent thing in which the T shaped post is formed and secured independently.

of the base assemblyyso that in all 'of the subsequent uses 'the' T assembly `is :attached and detached as a unit.

As has been suggested, the grooves in the end plates may be actual sub-surface grooves, or may be super-surface grooves delineated above the surface of the plate by upstanding members deiining between them the effective grooves.v To both of these ends the modifications shown in some of the later figures are directed.

Referring to Figs. 5. and 6, end plates lEa are formed of sheet metal or the like from which complemental and opposite tongues or ears 25-2-5 are struck, on opposite sides of a-slot 26 disposedV asymmetrically in the plate I5a, and each of relatively `short linear extent, as compared with the width of pillars-to ybe associated with it. This slot opening is intersected perpendicularly by the leg slot 2l of the T from which similar opposite and complemental upstanding lugs, ears, or tongues 28 are struck. It is to be noted that the upstandinlg ears or tongues which deiineV between them eiiective grooves or complemental clamping portions are all preferably clustered close to the center of the plate I5a so that theyA are out of any 4possible contact with any superposed ring mounted on the plate. Atvthe same y the iigures herein.-

time, they fare of sufficient length as to anchor and give stabilityto the-pillars to'be associated therewith, and -alsovto take care of diiierent v6, and also that various forms of post assemblies can be disposed-therein, whether asdisclosed in those figures, or as disclosed in any other of It will beseen that in the just described formation of end plate, the complemental clamping elements arise from the plate in confronting relaftionfwhichfis quite effective and eiiicient, but

may have the reiiect of 'limiting the'length of the` groove thus dened. In Figs. '7 and 8L armodied form of end plate is disclosed at l'5b, in which a plurality of relatively staggered tongues, tabs, or earskare provided, to dene the grooves of the plate, -butwhich are out of mutual Vcontact in the aligned relation of the respective ears. Thus, the asymmetrical slot 'or groove is defined by a median ear 3| struck out ofv the -plate and facing 'in' one direction of -theeliectivegroove or `slot of the plate, While a pair of aligned but spaced ears -32 and V33 are provided in transversely spaced relation on the other side of theA groove or slot, in staggered relation with and facing the said first mentioned ear 3l. It will be seen that a pillar .such as 23a of Fig. 5 can bedis- "posed-inI clamped relation on-said end plate, although to illustrate a further modication of pillar, the two complemental pillar portions 23h and 423C may be provided as independent elements arrangedfor aligned disposition inthe groove formedby -the plurality of ears 3l, 312, and 373, having complemental'cut-out corners to form together th'e'vertically extending kangular recess 34, into whichv the symmetrical leg-forming pillar 22 engages in' amanner similar-to the fit into the recess 30z-ofFig. 5. 'Io form the symmetrical groovein the plate 15b a plurality of staggered `ears are provided, comprising at least one ear 35 :facing in one direction, in transversely spaced relation to the staggered ears 36 and 31 facing inthe other direction and toward ear 35, and -arranged to receive and clampngly to engage vmore or less frctionally, if desired, the T leg pillar 22 of any of the forms of pillars disclosed, or that Amay be desired. y

In the form of invention shown in Figs. 9 and 10,'-the plates are disclosed as identical with the grooved plates shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive,-so thatsimilar reference characters are used thereon, although as with any of the forms of inven- Ation disclosed the plates may be made in accord- The pillars are illustrativelyA 7 fitting into the rib groove 40 in the center of the other pillar to establish the interlocking relation of the parts. The cheapness and efficiency of this type of interlocking pillar construction will be apparent.

In connectionwith the form of the invention shown in Figs. '7 and 8, in vwhich the plates are provided with staggered ears defining the pillarreceiving groove or effective grooves, it will be apparent that with such plate formation or any other shown herein, it would be practical to utilize similar ear formations on the pillars. Such a modication is shown in Figs. 13 and 14, in which with plates |b similar to those of Figs. 7 and 8, a metal pillar 23d arranged for disposition in the asymmetrical slot in the plate |519, between ears 3| on one side and ears 32 and 33 on the other, is provided on Opposite sides of the median longitudinal axis of the pillar, with staggered ears respectively 45 on one side and 46 on the other, to form an effective vertical slot to receive the edge of the cooperating or complemental pillar element 22. If desired, both pillars 23e and 22 can be provided with the centrally disposed lugs or ears so as to be relatively interchangeable in use for either the cross Ypiece or element or the vertical or leg element of they T formation of the post.

Y It has been pointed out throughout that applicant prefers the T formation of post, but it will be apparent that certain features of the invention have wider scope and applicability. Thus, it is a feature of applicants structure that regardless of the particular cross sectional formation of the post, the ends of the pillars form an area upon which the end plates have a more or less stable support in a generally normal relation thereto, which is anchored in place by merely attaching the baling strap, and this stable support is magnied when the column of rings is in place. This ring column, of course, furnishes the widest area of stable support, so that in the development thereof it is possibly of secondary interest that any particular cross sectional shape be maintained, so long as there are a plurality to receive andrsupport series of rings of differen diameters. s The flat end plates I5 of the assembled package permits stacked; storage of plural units of the packages. in end superposed relation, or otherwise. It will be seenthat in the preferred embodiment the cylinder of rings in a series has its outer wall within the side of the edges of the opposite end plates so. as to protect the rings, while the package is so easily assembled and disassembled thatat the point of use the unitary package is mounted on a support with the ring series extending vertically beside another partial package comprisingA a base or end plate with the two pillars yforming vthe post, and both adjacent to a point of performing additional processing operations onV the rings.- Rupture of the baling tape permits easy removal of the top end plate of the packaged series, and the successive removal of rings,l for' application to the point of work, following which the worked or processed rings are placedsuccessively upon the post of the previously empty or incomplete package assembly, until the entire series of unprocessed rings has been successively worked, and returned toa new Package, following which a new, or the pre- 'viouslyremoved, end plate is applied thereto, a

of points of contact or support for and between the ring and the post. The modification indicated in Figs. 11 and 12 is not the preferred form of device, but it may be used `in the connection. In this form of invention an end plate 41 is provided with two relatively normal slots or grooves 48 and 5U, in one face 5l thereof, each of which grooves are symmetrical in the end plate so that their point of intersection is in the substantialV center of the end plate. A pair of pillars respectively 52 and 53, each of substantially similar width as determined by the diameter of the ring to be operatively associated, is provided. Each pillar is provided for substantially one half of its total length with a longitudinal Yslot 54 of a width such as to receive the thickness of the complemental pillar, and the pillars are arranged to be interlocked in substantially cruciform shapeY new baling strap is-applied, and the packaged unit is then ready for such additional shipping or storage, or subsequent processing, etc., as may be indicated. The same empty packages in duplicate willbe provided wherever desired at various pointsV in the fabrication of finished ,articles frornthe rings so Vthatthe entire handling of the rings before any processing and during and between any additional processing steps can be facilitated by resort to the cheap, knockdown, and facile assembly of this invention.

It will be seen that with the relations of the groovespredeterminedly the same in each of a plurality of end plates, it is a simple matter as noted to provide post component pillars 22 and 23 of predeterminedly varying widths so that in assembly the T shaped post will receive and hold various diameters of, rings with the same endY plates, limited only bythe end. plate dimensions.

The individual components in the preferred embodiment are all flat so that storage thereof before or between assemblies is' facilitated, and the cheapness andy economy of the whole will be appreciated. l

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. A` package comprising complemental similar en d plates, each end plate having a composite groove comprising two relatively perpendicularly intersecting linear grooves, post means disposed in the composite groove in the form of a T in transverse section of predetermined dimensions so as to present at the extremities of the T three separated contact points for substantialV engagement with the internal surfaces of each of a plurality of annular members of predetermined diameter at Athree peripherally spaced points on the internal surfaces thereof, and a plurality of annular members. mounted between the end plates in anchored relation surrounding and substantially engaging said post means.

2. A package assembly for annular devices of known internal diameter comprising complemental similar end plates, each end plate having two relatively perpendicularly intersecting linear grooves, two planar pillars disposed in the respective grooves inthe form of a T intransverse section, of which one pillar comprises the cross piece and the other pillar a leg intersecting said cross piece and extending across the substantial center of the plate, the groove and its associated pillar forming the cross piece being asymmetrically disposed relative to both of the respective end plates so that the extremities of the T define ring-engaging and supporting surfaces angularly spaced on a circumference about an axis passing substantially through the center of both plates.

3. A package comprising a base plate and a top plate disposed in parallelism, both plates inthe face presenting toward the other having a pair of intersecting grooves, with the grooves of the respective plates in parallelism, one of said grooves in each plate being closer to the median center of the plate than the intersecting groove so that the intersection of the grooves is eccentric to said median center, two pillars mounted in the respective grooves with an edge of one pillar in juxtaposed relation to the substantial center of the other to dene in cross section a substantial T shape and a plurality of rings enclosing the two pillars, each of the rings inv substantial contact with the pillars internally of the ring at three peripherally spaced points.

4. A package assembly for annular devices of known internal diameter comprising complemental similar end plates, each end plate having two relatively perpendicular intersecting grooves, two pillars disposed in the respective grooves in the form of a T in transverse section of predetermined widths so asto present exter- 10 cumference is in substantial alignment with said median centers of the respective end plates.

5. A package assembly for annular devices, in combination with a plurality of annular devices of substantially uniform known internal diameter comprising cornplementalY similar end plates, each end plate having two relatively perpendicularly intersecting linear grooves, two pillars disposed in the respective grooves and interlocked in the form of a T in transverse section so that the cross piece of the T cannot shift relative to the upright leg of the T, said pillars being proportioned so as to present at the extremities of the T three angularly separated contact points for substantial engagement with the internal surfaces of each of said plurality of devices at peripherally spaced points on the internal surffaces thereof.

JOHN B. JANNEY.

REFERENCES CITED Thev following references are of record in the le of, this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS France V Dec. 9, 1929 

